Anti-gun rant is not common sense

March 18, 2013

In response to the March 14 letter to the editor, (Gun Control is Common Sense), the one thing that is correct in this article is "common sense is being murdered." The anti-gun rant that has been put forth by the anti-gun groups has nothing to do with common sense.

First, violence does not have to be accepted as, "just a sign of the times;" however taking guns away from law abiding citizens will not stop violence.

This is a proven fact. I am offended by people using a tragedy such as the recent mass shootings as a bully pulpit for infringing on my 2nd Amendment rights.

Also trying to imply that because I am standing up for our constitutional rights somehow there is something inherently wrong with me and that I am not fit to own a gun. Many people, including myself, have gone through extensive background checks and training just to own and carry a gun legally.

We do have a problem in this country of violence, yet a minority of people are screaming to disarm innocent, law abiding citizens of their means of self-defense.

In the letter the writer states that all the Obama administration wants is background checks (which we already have and are not totally enforced) and the outlawing of so called assault rifles. To clarify, assault rifles are battlefield rifles that are capable of being fully-automatic, like a machine gun (those are already illegal to own). The guns commonly labeled as assault rifles by anti-gun groups, are simply semi-automatic rifles very similar to the hunting rifles most of us use each fall. In all reality there are currently bills being introduced everyday that would disarm law abiding citizens because of a financial burden, such as requiring liability insurance for gun owners at a cost of $1,600 to $2,000 per year, expensive mandatory anger management classes in order to purchase ammunition and undue cost for background checks, as well as bans on many commonly owned handguns. It's all an attempt to out price gun ownership for the average hard working citizen. The fact is that new gun control legislation is being introduced so fast and in such quantity that the average person cannot possibly keep up with all the proposals and their ramifications.

In closing I would like to say we do have a problem in the United States that is tearing at the very fabric of our great country and that it is; not recognizing the true problems that spawn violence, such as mental health, economic poverty, lack of quality education and class warfare. Until we recognize the real underlying problems, address them and stop attacking symbols and inanimate objects, we will continue down the road of anger and violence.